Chapter Twenty-Three
Cora
Holding hands with Brody shouldn't have been that big of a deal, but I just couldn't shake the idea that he really wasn't the kind of guy who held hands with just anyone. It made it special... made me feel special, which was dangerous, but I was done fighting for a little while. We would part ways after we slept together, I had no doubt. I wanted to hang on until then and enjoy the intensity of the physical attraction that sat between us.
"Why are we going to hang out with everyone else?" He glanced over at me, pulling me back as we stopped at the red light.
I glanced down the road to see a bus flying toward us and backed up. "What's with me lately?"
"You're just relaxed. Enjoy it. I'll be your knight in shining armor and keep you from getting hit by the next bus coming toward us."
"Yeah, and you'll expect something in return." I smiled over at him before we moved across the road.
"Just a kiss, and from the way things have been going the last day or so, I'm thinking you might enjoy it more than me." He wagged his eyebrows.
"So cocky." I pulled my hand from his and slipped my hands back into my pockets. "How much longer are you out here at the lake?"
"Probably another month or so?" He moved a little to his right, away from me, before cupping his hand over his eyes. "Really? Shit."
"What?" I jogged behind him as he took off across the street and raced toward the water. A kayak sat just off the shoreline upside down. I couldn't help but wonder what he was up to. Whatever it was, it seemed serious. Surely, there wasn't someone in the kayak. I stopped short of reaching the water as horror rushed over me. Brody's frantic movements said that he believed someone to be in it.
He flipped it over and worked to get the small boy out of the thing before wading through the water. "Come here and help me."
I ran toward him, dropping on my knees and tugging at the little guy’s life vest and t-shirt as Brody laid him down. His skin was pasty, and he wasn't breathing.
"Holy shit." I glanced up at Brody.
"You know CPR?" He tilted the little guy’s head up. "Just get ready to breathe in his mouth. Long puffs of air. Ready?"
"Yeah, I know it." I bent over and worked alongside him, listening to his commands. The fact that he was so incredibly calm left me a nervous wreck. The little boy started to cough a few long seconds later, and I moved back and watched Brody pick him up and turn him over.
"That's it. You got it, buddy. Get it all out." He rubbed the little boy's back, completely attentive to the child.
A warmth rushed through me that left my eyes filling with tears. My tough facade in front of my friends was no different than him pretending to be the alpha asshole. I needed to run fast and hard away from him because I wasn't the kind of girl that fell for someone easily, but once I did... I wanted forever. It had only happened once in my life, and I was still recovering from the mess Brandon made of things. Would Brody be any different? Could he?
It's been a week or so. Slow your roll.
But thanks to Emily needing me to stay behind a few weeks, and my mom and dad wanting me to leave a few weeks early, I only had a short time left.
A short time to relax and have fun. To meet new people. Not to fall for some random guy.
Definitely not this guy.
"Oh my God," a girl yelled from across the street as she jogged toward us. It was the blonde from the day before that Brody had in his lap in the boat. "Is he..."
"He's okay. He was in the kayak again." Brody turned the boy over to the blonde and moved over toward me. I rose to my feet and reached out, wrapping him in a hug from the side before I could think too much about it.
"Shit. Thank you so much, Brody. I shouldn't have left him." The poor girl was shaking, but we all were.
"It's no problem, but I wouldn't leave him alone in the lake again. He doesn't weigh enough to keep that thing upright when the wind blows as hard as it does out here." He wrapped his arms around me, but continued to focus on her.
"Okay. Thanks." She didn't comment on the two of us or really even look my way, which was a little strange, but the trauma of almost losing her brother was most likely too much as it were.
"You okay?" He rubbed my back and pressed his lips to the top of my head.
"Yeah. Damn, that was scary." I pulled back a little to look up at him. "You totally saved that kid's life."
"For the second time in a weekend, actually." He rolled his eyes. "That's why Veronica was with me on the boat. I saved the kid yesterday morning and she wanted a ride out to the island after that."
"What kind of ride?" I gave him a cheeky grin, trying my best to pull us from thinking about the horror of the kid almost dying.
"On the boat. I already told you that you've fucked up my curiosity for other women." He touched the side of my face and smiled. "Come on; we just had a horrible experience. We should make out all afternoon to burn it from our minds."
I laughed. "I've ruined your curiosity? So, now what? You steal my heart by working my body and then move onto the next victim?"
Some part of me was only teasing him, but there was validity to my question, as well. I'd not be the needy, clingy girl that wanted more of him should he walk away from whatever was starting between us, but I wasn't climbing in bed with him just yet—or I hoped I wasn't.
"I wish it worked like that." He leaned down and kissed me hard, opening his mouth and sliding his hands down my back slowly.
He tasted like mango. I licked at his mouth as he deepened the kiss, causing the world to fade and my mind to wander into dark corners filled with lusty expectations.
"See?" He pulled back, breathing hard. "I'm feeling better already."
"Me, too." I glanced across the street. "No sex. I'm not ready for that yet."
"What are you, a virgin?" He smirked and took my hand, tugging at it as we jogged across the road and headed for his cabin.
"You wish." I moved up beside him as he opened the door and we walked in.
Daniel and Derek were laid out on the couch asleep, and Clay was standing in the kitchen with his back to the counter, laughing as he spoke to someone on the phone.
I had one guess for who it might be.
He glanced over at me. "Yeah. She's here. She's still alive and actually looks happy."
"Come on. Show me your room." I looked back at Brody and smiled.
"Yeah?" He moved past me and pulled me down the hall with him.
Clay walked up behind us and stopped at the door, pressing his hand to it. "What are you guys doing?"
"Making out." Brody pushed at the door as I sat down on the edge of his bed, breathing in the smell of him. Every cell in my body lit on fire. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to lay in his bed and hope that all we were going to do was make out. I already wanted more and we'd yet to start.
"No." He shook his head and walked into the room. "Emily said no."
"Get out." Brody moved up and pushed at Clay as I got up.
"I'm good." I put a hand on Clay's chest. "Tell her that I'm good and get out."
Brody moved back as I pushed Clay one last time and closed the door.
"What the fuck was that?" He locked the door before pressing me to it. "Are your friends always so protective?"
"Yeah. Sort of." I reached up and pulled him against me, tugging at his shirt so I could feel his skin underneath my fingers.
He pulled it off and pressed himself against me, grinding slowly as his tongue brushed by my neck. I groaned and arched my back.
"Take your shirt off. I wanna see you, Cora." He moved back and tugged at it.
I pulled it over my head and pushed at his chest, backing him up toward the bed.
"So beautiful." He sat down and reached for me as I crawled into his lap, straddling him. He went straight for my breasts, his tongue and lips working to move across my sensitive skin.
I rolled against him, wanting to tear at my shorts and force him to do all the things I promised myself we would do. "Go slow. I'm not sleeping with you."
He chuckled and turned us, pinning me to the bed as he rocked against me. He ran his hands up my thighs, tugging my shorts with him as his breathing got off. "What's the deal with you and taking a nap? All you've talking about lately is sleeping together."
"Shut up." I smiled and pulled at the waistband of his pants.
He fell over, catching himself and rolling his hips to rub against me before pressing himself on top of me and brushing my hair back.
"I've not wanted a woman in a long time the way I want you. Fuck... not ever." He pressed his lips to mine, and though I was sure he'd said the same thing to a million girls, I wanted to hear it again and again. His hands ran down my sides, over my hips and slipped between me and the bed to squeeze my ass softly. "Let me make love to you. We both want it. It's stupid to deny ourselves anything."
"No," I whispered roughly, arching my back to intensify the pressure of him between my thighs. "I'm not ready for the fling to end."
He growled and nipped at my chin before moving down my body and pressing his mouth to my nipple over my clothes. He sucked hard, and I cried out, losing myself in the moment. I'd had a few make-out sessions that left me considering sex, but this one was off the charts. Maybe it was about me not letting anyone touch me for two months, or maybe it had very little to do with me and everything to do with the sexy man working me into a needy mess.
He stopped all of a sudden and glanced up. "Wait. Did you just say you weren't ready for our fling to end?"
"Yeah." I reached up and touched the side of his face, running my fingers down his cheek and over his mouth to feel the softness of his lips. "I don't want it to end yet."
"Why the hell would sleeping together end it? I would think that's just the beginning, right? Unless I suck completely and you think another man would please you more." He rolled his eyes, causing me to laugh. "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Another man pleasing you better than I could? That's not possible."
"God, you're cocky." I gripped his shoulders as he turned us over and forced me on top of him. I sat up and rolled my hips, working myself over the thick press of his arousal. I dug my fingers into his chest and closed my eyes, knowing that I needed to slow down or I'd come. It didn't take much for me, thank God, but seeing that we were just in the middle of a hot make out session and not dancing along the lines of foreplay, I needed to calm down a little.
"You're close." He reached up and squeezed my breasts over my bra before dragging his hand down my tummy and smiling. "I can almost smell you."
"Fuck. I should go." I started to get up as he gripped my thighs.
"Hell, no. Don't you leave before letting me see you lose yourself. Don't do that to me." He licked at his lips as his eyes widened. "Don't stop. Please."
I watched him intently for a minute, finding myself enamored with need for the man beneath me. The decision to stay wasn't a hard one seeing that the pulse beating against my center had taken over my thoughts.
He lifted his hips and rocked against me as his fingers slid up my thighs and rolled to my center, moving into my panties from both sides and opening me up.
"Brody." I groaned and reclined against his knees as he lifted them and pressed them into my back. "Don't."
"You’re so wet, Cora." He licked at his lips. "Let me taste you."
"No. No!" I started to move, but he brushed his thumb over my clit and electricity raced through me.
"Alright. Soon then." He pulled one hand from my shorts and ran it up my chest to cup my face softly. "Stop being shy and fuck me."
I cried out as he pressed a finger deep into me and moved the pad of his thumb around in circles until my hips bucked.
"Oh God," I groaned and let my head drop back as I rode his fingers and listened to the soft grunts he let out as he rubbed himself against my ass.
"Shit. I'm gonna come if you don't stop." He released his grip on my face and tugged at my bra, freeing one of my breasts. The warmth of his hand combined with the strong press of his fingers into my flesh left me tumbling over the edge again.
"Don't stop," I groaned and pressed my hands to his chest, rocking against him and letting myself go for the moment. I didn't care what I looked like. He had the ability to light me on fire, and for the first time in a long time, I wasn't moving away from that warmth.
"Cora." His voice was tight, questioning.
I opened my eyes and nodded. "Good. It's good. Come with me."
"Yeah." His entire body stiffened as he cried out. I couldn't remember ever seeing something more beautiful.
I shouldn't have come into his room.
Those few moments had the power to change everything.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Brody
Intense would be the word.
I let my mind wander back to the day before as I laid out on the boat and let the sun beat down on me. Fourth of July was finally here, and the whole town was buzzing about it. I could not have cared less. It was just an opportunity to see Cora again, and one that would let me remain under the guise of just looking for a good time with my friends.
The way she enjoyed herself on top of me the previous afternoon was fucking hot. I hadn't expected our make-out session to go as far as it did, but I wanted it again...wanted her. Emily and Clay had come and rescued her before I could turn her over and strip her out of her clothes, and much to their dismay, we were both pissy with them over it.
"It's for the better. Denial makes it sweeter." I stretched and glanced over at Daniel who was sitting on the boat beside me, watching me. "What?"
"Do you always talk to yourself when you think no one is watching?" A smirk lifted his lip as he reached up and adjusted his glasses.
"Do you always stare at your friends while they are sunbathing?" I smiled and lifted my hands to cover my face as he splashed me with cold lake water. The other two guys were somewhere on the island taking a piss, but there was no way in hell I was fighting the insane crowd that was gathered there that day. I'd pee off the side of the boat without a thought about it.
"What denial are you talking about? You're the least likely person to accept denial." He stood up and stretched before turning to look out toward the island.
"I've been denied a few times." I sat up and glanced down at my chest to make sure I wasn't getting too burnt.
"Yeah, right." He moved to the driver's seat and started the boat. "Clay and Derek are wading into the water now. We're going to be late picking up the girls, thanks to this insanity. There's no way in hell we'll make it in 10 minutes with the number of boats on the lake today."
"Let me drive. I'll make sure we make it." I turned around and gave him a cocky grin. The world almost seemed to be set right by the fact that I didn't have a doubt that Cora wanted me. There didn't need to be any more games between us. Now the only concern I had, and she seemed to share, was whether sleeping together would leave us wanting more of each other or being sated. Something told me that after our afternoon the day before, I'd always want more. It was a weird thought to entertain, and yet I couldn't help it.
"You guys should see how many people have packed themselves on that fucking beach." Clay grunted as he pulled himself up onto the boat.
"I can see from here. I'm not interested in checking it out for myself. It looks horrible." I leaned back and looked up at the sky. "We're gonna get burnt today."
"Seeing that there are no clouds in the sky, it's highly likely." Derek pulled himself up into the boat and walked over, shaking like a dog and covering me in cold water.
I jerked up and turned to give him a look. "Okay, cowboy. It's gonna be on later tonight."
"Oh, yeah? You gonna show me up in front of the girls?" He laughed and dropped down beside me. "Speaking of girls. I saw that pretty blonde you were with the other day. She was looking for you."
"He's not interested. Him and Cora are hooking up." Clay sat down in the other captain’s chair and gave me a glare my dad would be proud of. "Right?"
"Yep. I guess." I shrugged and turned away from them. "I'm not sure what's going on with us, but I know I'm ready to see which tiny bikini she wears today."
Derek laughed and patted my back. "You're not getting sweet on a girl, are you?"
"Me? Hell, no." I glanced over at him. "All you guys have been acting like pussies for the last week. I'm not soon to join you. It's almost concerning. All these hot girls walking around and you guys are hooking up like you're looking to offer up some chick a ring this summer."
"No, I just like Cindy a lot." Derek turned to face the water and ran his fingers through his hair. "It's just a fling, though. A fun summer thing. I'm headed up northern Arizona to take my place with Mom and Dad at the ranch, and she's probably going east."
"And you?" I turned around, yelling above the sound of the wind and waves.
Clay moved closer and yelled back. "Me what?"
"Are you thinking that this thing with Emily is going to go somewhere after the summer?" I pulled my sunshades of my head and put them on.
"I'm hoping so. We're both staying here in Arizona, so it shouldn’t be too hard. Have you decided if you're staying here or heading up to Seattle?"
I'd been offered a job in Seattle with my uncle's company that was appealing in some ways and not in others. It was a desk job, which sounded like absolute hell, but it would help me save up for a house and prove that I was capable of making good money and being a stable kinda guy to some woman.
A woman like Cora.
"I don't know." I looked out across the lake, grateful that Daniel took a turn driving. He was the most cautious out of all of us. "I have a lot to think about, obviously."
"Emily said that Cora just got out of a nasty relationship, so don't be offering something you can't come through on." Clay got my attention.
"Why are you so focused on me not hurting this girl? What if she hurts me?"
Everyone started laughing, even Daniel. I smirked to play it off, but the fact that they didn't seem to think I had real emotions under my cocky exterior was concerning.
"Anyways, just be careful with her. Be honest if you start to think you're gonna want to see her after today." Clay patted my shoulder and moved to the back of the boat. "The sun should be setting in the next 40 minutes. Let's get the girls and get to the center of the lake to drop our anchors. It's going to be packed, but they're saying that it's the best place to see the fireworks show from."
I ignored him and got up, walking to the back of the boat as we pulled up to the dock. All four girls were standing on the pier, laughing about something. Their arms were full of what looked like snacks and drinks, and I couldn't help but hope that one of them would have considered the fact that we were idiots and hadn't eaten lunch yet.
Cora's eyes met mine, and I smiled. Where most girls would shy away from acknowledging the heat between us, she seemed to be perfectly comfortable with it. I hoped like hell that she would let me take her back to the cabin after the fireworks and finish what we started the day before. I hadn't stopped thinking about her since she left me hard and needy when she left me to join her friends for a girl's only night out.
"You look beautiful." I smiled at her as we pulled up. "All of you do. You want to hang out with a band of bad boys all evening and see if you can make good men out of us?"
They chuckled, and Emily reached for Clay's hand. "Something tells me that there is little-to-no hope for any of you."
"Hey." Daniel got up and lifted his hands to the side. "Not even me?"
Cora smiled and reached for me, sliding down my body as she got into the boat and moved toward Daniel.
"Maybe you, Dan, but only you." She glanced over her shoulder. "The rest of these guys are lost causes."
He smirked and sat back down. "That's good with me, then. Just making sure you guys didn't label me as you do them. I'm only guilty by association."
I rolled my eyes. "In most courts of law, that would be more than enough."
Dedra moved up behind Daniel and leaned over, kissing his cheek as they started in on their conversation. I made my way to the front to get around all of our friends and find the one person I wanted to spend the evening with.
Cora.
"Help me get all this stuff laid out on the deck and we can make everyone a sandwich, unless you guys already ate?" She was bent over, working to get stuff out of one of the bags. Her shorts were short and her bikini top tiny, letting plenty of her breasts show.
I reached down and tugged her up as she put a Cheeto in her mouth. She gave a little yelp as I wrapped my arms around her and leaned down, kissing her softly twice.
"I expect you to come give me a kiss or something when we see each other. I'm jealous that these other girls are trained so well." I kissed her again and licked at my lips. "Mmmm, cheesy."
"Yes, you are." She smiled and ran her hands up my back. "I didn't realize you wanted attention."
"I'm a needy kinda guy. I always want attention." I leaned down and kissed her again, taking my time until the catcalls at the back of the boat caused me to pull back. "Shut up, guys."
"They're just jealous." She pulled away from me and turned back to the food. "Did you eat lunch?"
"Nope, and I think I might love you for the simple fact that you brought food. I'm fucking starving." I leaned over and made a quick sandwich for myself.
"We all are." Derek moved up with Cindy beside him and muscled me out of the way to make one, too. I didn't mind so much seeing that my new spot a little bit farther back gave me a great view of Cora's long legs and shapely ass.
She turned and lifted her eyebrow at me. "Are you checking me out?"
"Girl, I've stripped you already and was working on making you my dessert." I smirked as her cheeks colored and Cindy giggled.
"You're not right, you know that?" She picked up a bag of chips and walked to the back of the boat, bumping me with her shoulder as she did. "Come with me."
"There's nothing I'd rather do." I spun on my heel and walked to the back, stopping only to grab two beers for us. I sat down next to her and offered her one as I shoved more of my sandwich in my mouth and tried to talk around it. "You like beer?"
"I love it." She reached out and wiped the side of my mouth before popping the top on her beer and taking a long drink.
I couldn't help but stare at her for a few seconds, a little surprised at how comfortable she was around me after we'd made a mess of each other the day before. I leaned over and kissed her cheek before pressing my lips to her ear.
"Let's watch the action and then go create some of our own. You wanna?"
"We'll see." She smirked and nibbled at her sandwich. "What have you guys been up to today? You're all looking pretty burnt."
Maybe was better than no. I'd learned that a long time ago. "We've been out here dicking around with the other million people on the water. Waiting on you guys while you were shopping. How much shopping do you girls do? Doesn't it get old?"
"No." Emily sat down beside Dedra and smiled over at me. "We went over to the other side of the lake where the strip center was. It's pretty over there. We should have a picnic next week or something when the Fourth of July people have finally cleared out."
"Sounds like fun to me. I have this new baked bean recipe I want to try, anyways. Maybe you guys could grill burgers for us that day." Cindy licked at her fingers and glanced over at Derek, who was watching her like a hawk.
I laughed and shoved the rest of my sandwich into my mouth before popping the top on my beer and drinking deeply. They were definitely more than a fling. Hell, everyone on the boat seemed to be settling into a relationship. Even me.
Me? Fuck. Weird.
"You look like you just saw a ghost. What's up?" Cora's voice pulled me from my thoughts and I turned and shrugged.
"Just thinking about that fucking alligator we saw the other night. That thing could have bitten off my dick, and then what?"
Everyone started laughing, and I couldn't help but smile.
Clay shook his head. "Then the men of Lake Havasu could rest easier. The hottest guy on the whole damn property would be out of commission."
I gave him a smile. "Are you calling me good looking?"
"I am." Cora moved closer and ran her hand over my back in slow circles. "And, I'm the one that should count. At least for the next little bit."
"Next little bit? You're already thinking about leaving me, aren't you?" I offered up a sad face, only to get popped in the chest.
"She's decided to go back home in two weeks. Mom and Dad won, but they always do, right?" Emily huffed and glanced over at Cora. "Makes life easier."
"Yeah, I guess." She pulled her hand from me and tossed her sandwich over the edge of the boat. "Two weeks is still a long time, though. I'm glad for whatever I get out here with you guys."
I laid back, trying to ignore the fact that two weeks didn't sound like nearly long enough with the stunning girl next to me. Everything inside of me wanted to beg her to stay, but it was silly.
Besides, the chances of me wanting something long-term with her after the chase was over was slim-to-none. It felt like she might be different, like this time would prove to be the time but then again, nothing worked out in my life as planned. This wouldn't, either.
Better enjoy it while I can.